BEST TIPS from those more experienced !

What are some of your best tips for getting started in the lawn care business? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I would especially appreciate tips from those who have been in the business for a while and have learned some things through trial and error. Thanks !

Don't let someone who seems nice slide with out a contract if they stiff you your be out of luck.

Don't spend more money then you have. Know your balance and always have that in the back of your mind.

Don't commit to too many auto expenses you can be nickeled and dimed to death from Payroll services, Yellow pages, Credit card machines, News paper ads.

Most important learn to adapt to your situation if you need 60 lawn accounts and your not getting them fast enough you need to see that and change your tactics.

Be a leader you own the business not your friends not your employees certainly not your wife or parents. Listen to their criticism but know when they are wrong it is gona take a while to show every one you were right to believe in your self and risk your lifes savings.

Learn to love talking to your customers even when your not in the mood or you personally dont like them they pay for the food on your table so listen to their concerns your last a lot longer if you do.

Be open to new machines and ideas that will save you time and make you more money i.e. rake and tarp work great blower and leaf plow work much better.

Best tip Research your area. be sure this is what you want to do and then jump in with both feet, Buy the best, get all that you need to be successful. If you go into debt to buy what you need thats great. If you have your house and car on the line you will be successful becuase you have to much to loose you will do what ever it takes to accomplish that goal.If that means going back to school you will, if it means moving 50yds of mulch by hand you will, or you will figure out how to have someone else do it and you make a profit off there work. nothing ventured nothing gained. And only you know what you consider successful.

Mac I kind of like the burn the bridge behind you approach you suggest probably because I did it. That said it will be up to this fella if he trys it and truly commits or if he wants a way out incase things go badly. But one thing is certain you are 100% right about the motivation having no retreat will provide.

There are many books available that you can read about getting started in this industry. You could visit amazon.com and do a quick search on starting a lawn care business. The more you read, the more you'll know. Good luck to you on your new business!

the very first thing you should do is what Gopher mentioned above...get a book or 2 on starting a landscape company. WHile you will need far more info about the local opportunuites than a book can tell you, the book will give you a good foundation on which to do more research.

One thing is for sure, if you are going to start a for-real land business, there is more to doing it than meets the eye...much more. Its critical that you start things the right way...starting the wrong way will bite you at some point down the road